2019 Chevrolet Trax SUV

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Down payment will vary with APR and credit. For example, 0.0% APR with $2,500 down payment provides for 72 monthly payments of $13.89 per $1000 financed for qualified buyers. 0.0% APR for a term of 24 months corresponds to a monthly cost of $41.67 per $1000 financed.
0.0% APR for a term of 36 months corresponds to a monthly cost of $27.78 per $1000 financed.
0.0% APR for a term of 39 months corresponds to a monthly cost of $25.64 per $1000 financed.
0.0% APR for a term of 42 months corresponds to a monthly cost of $23.81 per $1000 financed.
0.0% APR for a term of 48 months corresponds to a monthly cost of $20.83 per $1000 financed.
0.0% APR for a term of 60 months corresponds to a monthly cost of $16.67 per $1000 financed. The rates described are for estimation purposes only; you may not be able to finance at this rate.

Reviews

Driving Impression

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The Trax isn’t built for sporty driving; it’s made for commuting. Its minimal dimensions accurately suggest excellence in urban environments. The combination of a short wheelbase and a simple suspension make the Trax more suited to city driving than to twisting its way down country roads.

Turbocharging the tiny engine hasn’t turned it into a performance-seeker. No surprise there, though the Trax is nimble enough. The engine and 6-speed automatic transmission are tuned for efficiency, and require some prodding to extract all the power on tap. Steering is quick and light-feeling.

Safety technology that’s standard on some competitors is absent from the Trax. Only the Premier trim gets forward-collision warnings, and no Trax is fitted with automatic emergency braking.

Despite its minuscule engine and modest weight, the Trax isn’t all that frugal â€“ though it’s fairly thrifty for a small crossover model. Front-wheel-drive models are EPA-rated at 26/31 mpg City/Highway, or 28 mpg Combined. All-wheel drive drops the figures to 24/29 mpg City/Highway, or /26 mpg Combined.

Walk Around

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Some might brand the Trax anonymous. Closer in tone to a pair of sensible shoes, the Trax relies on functionality rather than creatively curved lines and surfaces.

Especially in base LS trim, with steel wheels and hubcaps, the Trax comes across as a plain but functional vehicle. Unpainted bumpers and lower body trim give the Trax an almost rugged demeanor, but it’s still closer to a hatchback than to an SUV.

Interior Overview

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More spacious inside than it looks from the outside, the Trax promises greater cargo-carrying utility than most subcompact cars. Drivers also benefit from good outward vision.

Front seats are firm, but only the driver gets a fold-down center armrest. A four-way manual driver’s seat is standard, with power-adjustment available.

For adults, the back seat is a tight fit, though a bit better than expected considering the tiny exterior dimensions of the Trax. Rear head clearance is good, but legroom is limited. A fifth passenger will be a snug fit for short trips.

Cabins are trimmed with plastic and metallic trim. Infotainment arrives via a 7.0-inch touchscreen, positioned above simple climate controls and a set of buttons. Cloth upholstery in LS editions is upgraded in the LT edition, which features matte silver trim. Moving ahead another step, the Premier trim adds contrasting stitching to the dashboard, accompanied by synthetic leather upholstery.

Safety

Ten airbags are standard. Otherwise, the Trax is light on advanced safety features. Crash-testing has yielded some satisfying results, but lack of automatic emergency braking is a drawback.

Some other small crossovers are fitted with such automatic braking systems. Chevrolet does offer forward-collision warnings, but only for top Premier trim.

Crash-testing by the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration resulted in top five-star ratings all around: overall, as well as for both frontal and side impacts. Only in the rollover rating, which is a calculated figure, did the Trax drop to a four-star score. Virtually all upright-style vehicles get only a four-star rollover rating, if not lower.

In each element of its own crash-testing program except for the small-overlap collision, the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety rated the Trax “Good.” For the front passenger, that test resulted in an “Acceptable” rating. The small-overlap test simulates impact with a stationary object, such as a utility pole.

Summary

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Moderate prices are the main attraction of Chevrolet’s smallest crossover SUV, making it a potential alternative to a basic used car. Base LS editions qualify as plain, with a shrunken standard-equipment list. The Trax is there for your daily driveâ€”just keep it in town to keep it happy.

Driving impressions by Andrew Ganz, The Car Connection. James M. Flammang contributed to this report.